


Remus Lupin and the Wolf Within

by BookofSpells



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Enemies to Lovers, Eventual Wolfstar - Freeform, F/M, First War with Voldemort, Friends to Lovers, Like really slow, M/M, MWPP, Marauders' Era, Not sure about smut yet, POV Remus Lupin, Slow Burn, but it's canon to me, but that will be a long way away, jily, just another MWPP era fic no one asked for, remusxsirius, that's pretty much the only thing not canon
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-09
Updated: 2018-01-04
Packaged: 2018-12-25 18:29:06
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,108
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12041712
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BookofSpells/pseuds/BookofSpells
Summary: The story of Remus Lupin’s life from the bite, to his adventures at Hogwarts, and beyond. Strap in everyone, this is going to be a long one.





	1. Happily Ever After

February 15th, 1965

Remus wiggled snugly into his canary yellow duvet, as his dad stood in the doorway and watched on fondly. His mother, Hope, tucked the corners beneath him, trapping him in like a caterpillar in a cocoon. 

Not quite ready to go to sleep, he poked out his lower lip, widened his eyes in a way that he knew his parents couldn’t resist, and begged for one more bedtime story. 

Laughing lightly, his mother bopped him on the nose with her index finger. “You’ve already had two bedtime stories baby. You should really be getting to sleep.” 

“Please,” he whined. “Just _one_ more.” 

The corners of her lips twitched into an amused smile before she looked to his dad, who nodded, also smiling. 

“Okay Remus, what kind of story would you like to hear?” 

“Yay,” he shouted excitedly. “I want to hear the story of when Daddy saved you from that boggart.” 

“That old story?” she asked, wrinkling her nose in mock exasperation. “You’ve heard it a hundred times.” 

“But it’s my favorite mum,” he replied pleadingly. 

“It’s a great story my love,” Lyall said from the doorway, eyes twinkling with amusement. “My heroics that day are unmatched. I fought the creature valiantly. Saved your life that day I did, and won the affection of the most beautiful women in Wales.” Hope snorted and shook her head while Remus giggled behind his hand. Even he knew that she hadn’t been in any true danger that day in the forest. But it was the day that his parents had fallen in love and he adored watching the two of them tell it. Neither could resist gazing at each other wistfully as they each told different parts of tale. 

“It began in the summer of 1957,” his mother started while his dad made his way to the bed to sit and wrap a comforting hand around her. “I was walking through the forest near my cottage in Cardiff searching for the root of a wild leek-.”

“Allium am… ampeloprasum!” Remus supplied enthusiastically, proud of himself for remembering the name. 

“That’s right,” she praised, beaming. “It’s known for its medicinal properties and I was sure that if I could dig up a few roots, I could transfer them to my garden. They aren’t bad in a nice stew either, if you cut them right.” 

“They taste like onions, and give you stinky breath,” he said, crinkling his nose in a humored look of disgust. 

“Do you want to hear the story or discuss the culinary merit of wild leeks?” his father asked as he tickled the boy. 

“The story. The story!!” he gasped out between giggles. 

“After walking a while, I found a small patch in a meadow. Just enough to carry in the basket I’d brought along.” _‘This is the good part,’_ Remus thought as he settled back into his soft pillows. 

“I bent down to dig up the roots when I heard a crunching noise behind me. Footsteps. When I turned around, a large man with yellow teeth and long matted hair was running toward me.” His mother’s voice became increasingly dramatic as she told the story. “I screamed and began to run, unfortunately I tripped on fallen branch and fell. When I looked up the man was gone and your father was standing there. He held out a hand to pick me up and said, ‘it’s all right, it was only a Boggart.’ I had no idea what he was talking about but I was so grateful that I jumped into his arms.”

“Suddenly there was this beautiful woman clinging on to me, thanking me for saving her life so I decided not to mention anything more about Boggarts,” his dad added with a sappy look upon his face. “It was love at first sight for me Remus. I knew right then that I would do anything for your mum. I offered to accompany her home and the rest is history.” Hope placed a sloppy kiss on his cheek. “A few months later I admitted that there had never been a big scary man. I was terrified that she would be angry but she wasn’t. She simply laughed and called me hopeless, which is of course what I was.”

“You still are hopeless,” Hope joked, causing Remus to giggle into his palm. 

“Hopelessly in love,” Lyall countered, before kissing her soundly on the lips. “We got married a year later and you were born a year after that and we’ve lived happily ever after.” 

Remus grinned broadly as he watched his parents affectionate exchange. His heart swelled every time he watched them interact because even though he was so young, he could see just how much they loved each other, and how much he was loved. 

They had the perfect family and it would only get better, as his mum and dad were discussing having another baby. He’d overheard them talking about it the day before when they didn’t know he was listening. A little brother or sister for Remus to play with, he was practically bursting with excitement. He might even share all his favorite toys he thought, if the new baby didn’t slobber on them. 

“Tell me the story of when daddy asked you to marry him,” he urged, attempting to take advantage of their good moods to stay up just a bit longer. 

“Nice try kid,” his father said, poking him in the belly, causing him to laugh aloud and squirm beneath the covers. “It’s time for you to go to sleep, you have nursery school tomorrow and I have to be at the Ministry early.” 

“But Daddy,” he argued. “Why do I have to go to nursery school with the Muggles? I’m a wizard, and I’ll go to Hogwarts. I’ll be in Hufflepuff like you, where the patient, loyal, and hardworking reside.” Remus lifted his arm dramatically, feigning the movement of a wand swishing through the air. 

“Muggles aren’t so bad,” his mother said benevolently, causing him to dip his head guiltily. She was a Muggle and he liked the Muggle children at his school, he just didn’t like pretending he was one. He wanted to tell his friends about magic and the magical creatures he loved, but he couldn’t. “Besides, you can’t go to Hogwarts if you don’t know how to read properly or do arithmancy. Right?”

“Yes mum,” he mumbled, thoroughly chastised. 

“You’re such a good boy Remus,” she cooed, kissing him on the forehead. 

“Your mum and I love you,” his dad added, ruffling his light blond hair. “Now get some sleep.”

“Goodnight mum, dad,” he said, snuggling deeply in his bed covers while gripping his favorite stuffed dragon. A silvery blue Swedish Short-Snout that occasionally snorted blue smoke, much to Remus’ amusement. 

“Goodnight,” they said in unison, hugging him in turn. With that they exited the room, hand in hand, his father clicking the light switch on the wall down. 

The room was illuminated by the full moon that hung in the sky outside of his window. Clutching the plush dragon more tightly, Remus’ eyes fluttered closed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you think in the comments and I really encourage people to send me headcannons that they would like to see in this fic.


	2. Howling in the Wind

February 16th, 1965 

Remus awoke with a start, sitting up quickly in his bed. Blinking the sleep out of his eyes, he could hear the wind whistling through the cracked window; the branches of a tree outside of his room scratching eerily along the side of the house. 

It was still dark out, hours before morning he noted apprehensively. He hated waking up in the middle of the night when the sounds of his parents pattering about the house ceased and the soft light from the hallway lamp was no longer visible through the crack beneath his door. It made his room feel unnerving, dark, and desolate. 

Black shadows danced along the walls of his room, taking the shape of malevolent entities as he watched on in fright. 

Suddenly, the sound of a howling wolf filled the room. Remus clutched his plush dragon more tightly to his chest and took a deep, calming breath. _‘I’m not afraid. There’s nothing out there. I’m not afraid,’_ he repeated to himself. Wolves were just animals, he’d seen several at the Muggle zoo his mum had taken him to, nothing to fear while he was safe in his room. 

Remus was a clever child. He knew monsters existed, his father worked with them every day after all; Boggarts, Poltergeists, Obscurial. But those creatures haunted dark, depraved areas. They didn’t bother warm and loving homes because like his dad said, those things had no business with a bright and happy little boy like himself. They couldn’t exist where such joy resided. 

The wolf howled again, this time it sounded closer than before. 

Usually when he became afraid or had a nightmare, he would sneak into his parent’s room and slip underneath the covers between them. They never minded, but Remus was a big boy now, almost five, he didn’t need to run and hide like a baby every time he heard a scary noise. He simply needed to be brave, like Arthur in _The Sword in the Stone,_ his favorite Muggle film. 

Tentatively, he gathered his courage, moved the bright covers aside and slipped out of bed. He tiptoed to the window and glanced out cautiously. Looking out into the family farm, he could see the dark shadows of the sleeping herd of sheep dotted around the field. All was peaceful, save the tree’s fluttering in the wind. The howls that he had heard were probably just a dream, or a product of his illusionary mind. His mum often mused that he’d inherited her overly active imagination.

Reassured, Remus made to move back to his bed. Before he made it halfway across the room he heard it again. A long, pained howl, closer than ever, followed by a chorus of ‘baa,’ the flock scrambling about. 

Rushing back to the window, the boy opened it wider to get a better look at the scene below him. The sheep were now darting in every direction, squawking in distress. In the middle of field stood a large wolf baring his fangs and looking directly at Remus. It stood on its hind legs, hunched as if ready to pounce. 

This was no figment of his imagination, and this was no ordinary wolf. 

He knew that he should flee, scream, run for his father, but he was paralyzed with fear. His legs no longer seemed to be working and all he could do was stare back at the creature, who’s yellow eyes shone brightly in contrast to the moonlight. 

Then, without warning, the beast charged. Within seconds it was scaling the tree outside of Remus’s window with speed unlike anything he had ever seen. Much too fast for the ordinary wolf to manage. 

Regaining the use of his legs, Remus turned to run so quickly that he stumbled, and fell bodily to the hard, wooden floor. 

He rolled over, groaning at the pain in his right arm, which he had fallen on. When he looked up to the window, the wolf was there, lifting the pane. It was now close enough for Remus to clearly see it’s snapping jaws, matted fur, and long barred teeth. 

Shambling to his feet, he turned, and yanked the door open, just as the animal leaped heavily onto his back. A strong pungent scent filled his nostrils just before the werewolf’s canines sank into his right shoulder. 

Blinding white-hot pain unlike anything Remus had ever felt washed over him. Sharp, burning agony ripped through his body as his vision began to blur. His knee’s buckled, and he dropped to the floor again. 

Seconds, or hours later, he couldn’t be sure, Remus distantly heard the sound booming footsteps from the hallway and felt the weight of the beast lift from his back. 

“REMUS,” came a strangled cry. “Get BACK! FLIPENDO! IMPEDIMENTA!” 

Suddenly overcome with nausea, Remus vomited up the contents of his stomach violently. The sick mixing disturbingly with the pool of dark blood accumulating on the floor beneath him. 

“STUPIFY! ALARTE ASCENDARE!” The sound of shattering glass echoed through the room. 

“DID IT BITE HIM?” There was fear, unlike anything he’d ever heard in his father’s voice. 

“Oh God, Lyall he’s bleeding.” Arms wrapped tightly around him, lifting him slightly off the floor. “Baby, talk to me. Talk to me Remus.” 

“PROTEGO! HOPE, PULL YOURSELF TOGETHER! DID. IT. BITE. HIM?” 

“I… I think so. W-what was it?” 

“Back away from him.” 

“W-what? He’s bleeding! D-do your magic. Help him!” 

“Back away now! Ascendio.”

The arms encircling him were ripped away roughly and the world went black.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi again! TBH, I don't love this chapter. I think it could have been a lot better. But I decided to stop over-thinking it and just publish it already so that I can move on with the story. Maybe one day I'll go back and re-write it. If this story takes off.


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